That's right. While most of you follow the ball, focusing on the quarterbacks, or the tiny running backs and skinny receiver, I spend most of my time watching trench warfare.

That's what takes place at the line of scrimmage every snap. Big 300 pounders pushing and punching on other 300 pounders, and it's beautiful.

If you haven't watched those wrestling matches then you're missing out. That's where the real action's at, and it's often a work of art.

Last season Justin Smiley was the Miami Dolphins' version of Pablo Picasso, painting a couple of masterpieces as the team's top pulling guard until he broke his right leg in three places in the Nov. 30 win over the Rams.

Comments (144 Comments)

jahndoh and I have gotten into it about Solai before. He’s on my players to drop list along with Joey Thomas who I thought was going to pass interferance the rams into the endzone single-handed. I don’t like some of those other scrub DB’s either the Arby’s guy and a couple others from last year, but I don’t think they’ll be around much longer considering all the re-tooling the secondary got this offseason.
The good thing about the “players to drop list” is with some good performances you can pull yourself into the “players to re-sign list”. Matt Roth did just that last year
Some people like Derek “butterfingers” Hagan follow the same path and get dropped
Solai had that one forced fumble against the Ravens when somebody didn’t block him. Other than that the guy has been a flop, and football players should be in shape not controlling tides or having cheeseburgers orbit around them

I wish someone would have told me that I was not going to be limited who I was at that moment…and to “change strategies if what youre doin aint gettin you where you wanna go.”
(teachers will love vernacular of the southern slangspeak)

antibiotics only work against bacterial infections, not viruses
Ok Jahn,
He doesn’t suck or he wouldn’t be in the league, right? Would like to see him make something of himself to be honest but he can’t be too disciplined to come in overweight every year

“For the record, Ferguson only had 22 tackles last year in 15 games, and that’s with him playing more downs per game and he’s an accomplished veteran NT.
Posted by: The Knight who says Ni! | May 27, 2009 at 03:41 PM
”
Yeah…Ferguson “Sucks”!

BTW Phinatic and Walker, I’d still like to hear either of you explain how the trifectas affect toward Soliai supports your assertions that he sucks….
I say it supports my assertion that he’s a very talented but troubled player.

Cavalier/Walker…my bad on the “viruses” thing.
Replace Viruses with Bacterial infections in my post and it’s still right on.
My near loss of a body part to MRSA gives me a unique perspective…sorry for the error.

“Viruses develop resistance to Antibiotics”. Antibiotics are for bacteria not viruses. For viruses you need a vacineto cause your body to develop antibodies, or an injection of a serum of antibodies until your body can develop its own antibodies.
The problem wit the resistent bacteria is people not following the doctor’s instructions. People get a perscription and stop taking the antibiotics once the symptoms go away. Even though there isn’t enough bacteria left to cause noticeable symptoms since you didn’t finish off taking the antibiotics some bacteria who haven’t been killed yet stay alive and now have a resistance. They then spread and form a new strain of the same bacteria with a resistance. So now all the doctors are writing persriptinons for antibiotic resistant bacteria without checking to see if the bacteria is resistent, which will then make them immune to that stuff
Moral of the story, follow your doctors orders and take the perscription for the entire length perscribed

“Would like to see him make something of himself to be honest but he can’t be too disciplined to come in overweight every year
”
I’m not challenging Omar on this, but I’ve yet to read anybody but Omar say he’s overweight. Furthermore, it’s mho that overweight and NT are synonymous–and this accusation is merely a pea for the anti-Soliai princesses to obsess over.

Walker….I’m not picking on ya though man, I just think Soliai, while a longshot has the talent to be something special, and I think trifecta agrees.
He’s obviously earned the criticism he’s getting here.

I never said he sucks, I just said we should drop him. I would prefer we develop somebody else who’s still hungry for the job ha ha. Like the rookie Ellis or Cohen from last year.
Knight,
I know NT don’t create huge tackle numbers, especially in a 3-4 where the job falls to the OLB. The 2007 4 tackle number was pretty pathetic any way you slice it. I think that a good player would have the drive to be the best player he can be. If you consistently show up overweight to training camp and throughout the year to me that says your trying to ride it on your athletic ability, which isn’t going to cut it in the NFL. I think the guy has an attitude problem, which is holding him back from developing into atleast a quality back-up. He made a few strides last year I’ll give him that, I just don’t see him developing into a keeper

He was suspended twice by the team for undisclosed reasons. By my memory the only player suspended by the team last year. Whether it was weight or not showing up to practice or whatever it still shows a problem that the team felt was large enough (ha ha) to suspend him for so he would make a change. The fact that it happened twice says that it wasn’t an isolated incident, which worries me even more. Then Omar mentions that he needed a wide load sticker to make it up the turnpike to the practice facility. I’m not the only one seeing a trend here. Everyone on the team can’t be a keeper and I usually don’t like it when we loose a player I’ve become attached to, but sometimes you need to cut your losses on an investment inorder to make way for a new prospect

“Everyone on the team can’t be a keeper and I usually don’t like it when we loose a player I’ve become attached to, but sometimes you need to cut your losses on an investment inorder to make way for a new prospect
”
You’re right, but the trifecta not drafting or chasing a FA tackle AND keeping Soliai around despite the transgressions you chronicle above kinda tells me that they’re NOT planning on cutting him.
NT is pretty important, and Ferguson is pretty old…he’s pretty much our only hope this season…so start hoping!

That USA today article is using BMI which only factors in hieght and weight. Not measuring the actual amount of weight which is fat and how much is lean muscle. I’m surprised it’s not 100% of the NFL. I’m 6′3″ and by BMI I’m obese. However I have a 32 inch waist by BMI I’m obese, by looking at me I’m in the best shape of my life
I know you like his upside, I just don’t think it out-weighs (ha ha) his negatives

I agree they probably won’t cut him. Especially with our paper thin depth at the position. If Ferg does go down I would suspect we’d have to play more of a 4-3 on 1st and 2nd down to defend the run
The 3 biggest factors in are run defense last year were Ferg, Crowder, and Bell. If we loose any of them I shudder at the thought of teams running for 100+ yards every game, but that is what I see happening

Jahndoh, just for the sake of argument which I rarely do, I’ll agree with you on the point you made about Solai having upside. He has ability which is why people are upset with him. He was suspended twice for his downside though. Whether it was because he couldn’t make weight requirements or was late to meetings, the fact remains he was suspended twice. That tells me he has a discipline problem somewhere in his being. Until these problems are fixed he will remain a questionmark.

Funny stuff Tin. I see kids getting arrested at every home game. The cops in Miami use spotters to find the suspicous looking ones so the bicycle cops can catch them with the drink in their hands. They even try to wait so they can catch an over age limit adult giving them the boos

Omar, you are probably giving the speech as I type this, I hope you are telling them to work hard and have fun, in that order. Many in this forum have given great advice about being kind to others and not letting the knuckleheads get you down, that’s also great advice. Advice I could have used as I went from 9th grade to 10th.
as far as the poll for favorite big ugly, Vern edges out his bookend Jake because he went to the better UM.
Way back in the day I used to ignore Marino and the Marks Brothers and watch Dwight Stephenson dominate the line of scrimmage at the Orange Bowl. It was a treat.

No argument here perspective. The key to his 2nd suspension (to me anyway) is that it was a suspension and not a cut.
We obviously all hope for the same thing, his success (thought we differ on the liklihood of that success), so that’s all that matters.

“Whatever. Nobody who’s made it to the NFL level “sucks” but that’s obviously an opinion you’ll argue against.
Posted by: Jahndoh”
I’m pretty sure that John Beck sucks, and Ryan Leaf sucked.
I think what you meant to say was that you can’t suck and then make it to the NFL.
However, there are plenty of NFL players who suck WHILE they’re in the NFL.

That’s a dynasty league so a lot of value gets put towards potential for later years. If not Pennington would get a higher ranking than Chad jr.
Posted by: Phinatic | May 27, 2009 at 05:01 PM
ahhhh, thanks…i havent done fantasy football since highschool so Im a little out of the loop.

Way back in the day I used to ignore Marino and the Marks Brothers and watch Dwight Stephenson dominate the line of scrimmage at the Orange Bowl. It was a treat.
I have NEVER seen anyone in 40 yrs dominate like D.Stevenson. It was funny how he easily threw guys down with one hand because he positioned them to be off balance. It was like he was practicing karate.

1. Jake Long
2. Justin Smiley
3. Kendall Langford
4. Philip Merling
5. Vernon Carey
6. Jason Ferguson
7. Jake Grove
8. Donald Thomas
The first five guys will be around for a long time.
Jason will help for now but the team needs depth and one guy they can groom to eventually start.
Jake Grove is a proven player and Donald Thomas shows great upside, but my concern is their health.

“I’m pretty sure that John Beck sucks, and Ryan Leaf sucked.”
How many people here went to D-1 colleges? Any varsity athlete at any D-1 college (I know, having been one!) is probably as good or better then the best athlete in that sport in your HS. (obv a school like DLS in the bay area would be an exception here…but your joe average 1500 student public HS probably qualifies).
So the athletes playing on any D-1 football team are as good or better than the best athletes you saw in HS…and in my mind already represent the elite level of a sport. Those elite athletes that excel to the point they are employed professionally are the elite of those elite…the cream of the cream….etc…
There are roughly 60million+ football aged males in this country…if even 5% of them played/play football, thats 3 million (and that’s extremely conservative. The nfl currently employs just shy of 2000 players. 2000/3000000=.06% (not 6%…6/100ths of a percent) of the entire pool can be employed in the NFL….
So no, NONE of them suck!
Suck is way overused, you of all people Tin should be tire of overused lexicon.
But thanks for telling me what I mean.

Omar,
In your 10 questions you mention the backup OG’s on the roster that will compete for the RG spot but you didn’t mention J.D. Quinn. Do you think he has a shot at coming out of nowhere and pressing for playing time? He must have showed something at his tryout to get a contract, and it seems like it was his myriad off-field issues that prevented him from being drafted and not on-field talent. From what I have read my gut instinct tells me not to be surprised if this guy emerges from the pack – what do you think after seeing him on the field? Thanks.

“Isn’t it interesting how ADD or ADHD or whatever didn’t even exist when we went to school. It used to be called being distracted or bored but our society has changed all that. Now we just dish out pharmaceuticals to children without any regard to long term side effects.”
This is one of the most astute observations I have read on any blog in a looong time… I am afraid you’re right, brotha. We’re evolving into a culture of drugs, excuses, and lower expectations.

O,
Jake Long becuase he lived up to my expectations for him a #1 pick last year.
Jake Grove because with him busting holes and Ronnie Brown & Ricky Williams as your backs – he will be the key to both backs rushing for 1,000 yards each this year.
#3 Bill Parcells for having the intelligence and forsight to know that picking both these guys will do more for the Dolphins ascention to World Champs then a QB.

O,
I would stress to the kids that there is plenty of time to party and hang with their friends AND still maintain a good GPA. The latter will save them years of hard times after all their highschool buddies are long gone.

J ferg is old. he’s not getting the push we need at nose.ohillip merling needs to step up and show that hes got what it takes to play end everydown in the NFL. (and be effective) then it should be tony McDaniel and j ferg taking most of the reps at nose. no question on langford He’s a beast!on the offensive side I would like to see donald thomas develope but it seems like every time he gets a chance to prove him self he gets hurt, so we cant count on him. indukway he tries but he blows to many assignments. I would like to have a huge guy like nate gardener at right gaurd. hes slow but seems to have good strength.think he can make the position change? I would definetly try him out there his second season, he might just be smart enough now.

Ferguson single handedly improved our pathetic run defense from 07. His holding his own up front also allowed for a better pass rush.
Jake Long has the hype but I’m still not sold till we can finally have a real running game, and not only on trick plays.

OMAR KELLY was unsuccessful at achieving his childhood dream to become a super hero, so he figured he'd do the next best thing and become a journalist who fights against injustice, and searches for truth. After being bored to death reporting news and covering politics, he switched to sports.
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IZZY GOULD joined the Sun Sentinel in Feb. 2012 as a Senior Sports Reporter on the Miami Dolphins beat. He came to South Florida fresh off covering the University of Alabama football program, including its 2011 national championship team. More